promifes find credit? Hell is the portion of the fearful and unbeliever, Rev. xxi. 8. And what dreadful judgments did overwhelm Ifrael, as often as they thus halted between God and idols! it did not excuse them that they had fome fort of veneration for the memory of Mofes and his miracles; fince this was not able to over-rule their prejudice and fuperftition; that they retain fome honour for Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and that God which was the fear of their fathers, fince they had as much, or more, for the nations round about them, and their gods too. And whatever power they did acknowledge in the God of heaven, or whatever benefit they did own themfelves to have derived from him, as I can hardly think the memory of either was utterly extinguifhed amongst them; all this availed them nothing, while they made their court to other gods too, and put their trust in their patronage and prote&tion. Though this be fufficient to make us fenfible of the guilt of a Laodicean virtue and an uncertain halting faith; yet I must advance on, and observe unto you a worfe principle, if worse can be, of this deportment yet, which is, 4 The fourth fountain of this unfteadiness and remifness in religion is, fome remains of corruption; the preva lency lency of fome vicious paffion or other. Mens actions are the plaineft indications of their affections. If the life looks two ways, we need not doubt but that the heart does fo too. This was that made the young man in the gofpel fluctuate fo between Chrift and mammon; this was the cafe of Herod; he had yielded, no doubt, to the power and force of the Baptift's reafons, if he had not been drawn back by the charms of his Herodias. And this is the cafe of every man who is but almost a Chriftian; he is under the afcendant of fome filly or vile luft or other; this is that which fpoils the tafte of the hidden manna, and diminisheth the price of Canaan. Without doubt men would apply themfelves more vigorously to fpiritual things, were they not too fond of the body and the pleasures of it; they would certainly feek the kingdom of heaven more earnestly, and make a better provifion than they do for the other world, were they not too much taken with this, and therefore too apt to fet up their reft on this fide fordan. Now if this be fo, what can we expect? They only who conquer, are crowned; they that fow to the flesh and to the world, can reap nothing from thefe but corruption. These kind of Chriftians, though peradventure they are not flaves to any infamous and fcandalous lufts, are yet entangled by Cc 3 fome fome other, not much less injurious, though not to reputation, yet to purity of heart; they are captivated to the world and flesh, though their chains feem better polished, and of a finer metal; they cannot mount upwards, they cannot conquer, being retarded and kept under, if not by the Strength of temptation, yet by their own Softness and weakness; and yet, why fhould I doubt but thefe are conquered by temptation? The more innocent the object of any one's paffion is, generally the more fatal, becaufe we are the more apt to in dulge our felves in it. The caufes of Lukewarmnefs being thus pointed out, 'tis evi dent what the cure of it confifts in, namely, in forming juft and correct notions of virtue and vice; in ftrengthening and confirming our faith, and in perfecting and compleating our reformation. I will now endeavour to poffefs the minds of men with an averfion and dread of this state of Lukewarmnefs, by fhewing, 1. The folly, 2 The guilt; and, 1. The folly. How reasonably may I here addrefs myself to the lukewarm in the words of Elijah to the Ifraelites: How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be be God, follow him; but if Baal, then fol low him, 1 Kings xviii. 21. If you do indeed believe, that your fafety and happiness depends upon God, then ferve him in good earneft; but if you think this depends upon the world, the flesh, and the devil, then ferve these; if you really think that virtue and religion are the moft folid and ftable treasure, then strive fincerely and vigorously to poffefs your felves of them; but if you really think, that the ease and pleasure of the body, refpect, and pomp, and ftate, is the proper portion and foveraign good of man, then devote and offer up your felves to thefe. For what a folly is that life, which will neither procure us the happiness of this world, nor of another? To what purpose is it to listen only fo much to confcience, as to damp and chill our pleasure; and fo much to pleasure, as to disturb the peace and repofe of confcience? But indeed, as the words of Elijah were rather an irony than any real doubt, whether Baal or the Lord were God; rather a fcornful derifion of their folly and ftupidity, than a ferious exhortation to deliberate, whether idolatry or the worship of the true God were to be chofen: I doubt not, but mine will feem to you to carry no other found in them. The difparity is fo vaft between God and the world, between religion and fenfuality, covetouf Cc 4 nefs nefs and ambition; between thofe hopes and enjoyments we may reap from the one, and thofe we can fancy in the other; that there is no place for doubting what choice we are to make, or to which fide we are to adhere; nay, in this we are more criminal than the Ifraelites, being felf-condemned. The Ifraelites indeed, feem to be at a lofs, whether the Lord or Baal were God; they doubted under whofe protection they might thrive beft. But at this day, whoever believes a God, knows very well there is none befides him. Whatever paffion we have for the world, and the things of it; whatever fpiritual idolatry we are guilty of, our opinions are not yet fo far corrupted, as to attribute to them, in reality, any thing like Divinity. Whilft we dote on wealth, we at the fame time know that it makes it felf wings and flies away; whilft on greatnefs and power, we know that 'tis but a piece of empty and toilfome pageantry, and often the fubject of mifery and difmal tragedies, not incident to a lower ftate; whilst we dote on pleafure, we are well affured that 'tis difhonourable and fhort, and intermixed with fears, and fhame, and torment; we know that nothing here below is able to free our flate and fortune from calamity, our mind from guilt, the body from death, much lefs the whole man from a miferable |